Mounting arrangement for phonograph tone arms



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Jung 17, 1941. E, w, FORSTRQM 2,246,130

MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR PHONOGRAPH TONE ARMS Filed May 14, 1940 Illyalf-76? 40 43 mm QM/w 42 23 55' Inventor: 4 Edward W. Fcrrscorvn,V

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Patented June 17, 1941 MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FR PHON()- GRAPH TONE ARMSEdward W. Forstrom, Stratford, Conn., assign'or to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Application May 14, 1940, Serial No.335,109

Claims.

My invention relates to phonograph apparatus, particularly to phonographtone arm and cabinet arrangements adapted especially to radio-phonographunits, and its general object is to provide a tone arm and cabinetarrangement whereby the radio-phongraph unit is made more compact, theappearance of the unit is improved, and the tone arm with its pickupconnected thereto is better protected from injury when in thenon-playing position.

In accordance with my present invention the foregoing and other objectsare attained by the provision of a tone arm and cabinet arrangement suchthat the tone arm when in the non-playing position is in a groove in theupper surface of the cabinet, so that in this position of the phonographapparatus a practically flat upper surface for the cabinet is provided.

It is a further object to provide improved switching means operativelyassociated with the tone arm to control the power circuit of thephonograph motor and to control the connection of the pickup to theamplifying apparatus.

The ynovel features which are considered to be characteristic of myinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Myinvention itself, however, both as to its organization and method ofoperation together with further objects and advantages thereof may bestbe understood by reference to the following depanying drawing whereinFigs. 1 and 2 are fragmentary, side elevational views partially insecmeral 2 designates a phonograph tone arm having a pickup device 3carrying a needle 4 which may extend within a well or depression formedin the bottom of groove 1.

In-Fig. 1 the tone arm 2 is shown in the nonplaying or non-operativeposition. The arm is pivoted near the end thereof opposite its pickupend to the upper end of a vertical shaft 5 adapted to rotate in, andv tobe moved vertically with respect to a bearing sleeve 6 connected to thelower i, lside of the cabinet or casing upper plate I. A recess 'Iconforming generally to the tone arm'2 is formed in the cabinet upperplate I, and when the shaft 5 is in its lower position as shown in Fig.1 the .top of the tone arm lies preferably flushA or level with theupper surface of the plate I. To maintain'the vertical shaft securely inits proper position a locking means is provided therefor preferably inthe form of a locking ring 8 mounted in the bearing member 6 and acorresponding groove 9 formed in the shaft.

In Fig.2 the tone arm 2 is shown in playing or operative position, withneedle I in contact with a record Itlcarriedby a turntable II whichpreferably extends above the level of the cabinet upper plate Ionly-enough to enable the projecting edge I2 of the record to clear theplate. Fig. 2 the shaft 5 is in its upper position and is maintainedsecurely in this position by locking means preferably in the form oflocking ring 8, in bearing member 6, and a corresponding second grooveI3 formed in the shaft near the lower end thereof.

In Figs. 1 and-2 the numeral I4 designates a switch means adapted,through suitable connections, to control the power circuit of the motorwhich drives the turntable I I. For this purpose the switch means I4 ispreferably arranged to move with the shaft 5 and is provided witha-switch operating arm I5 adapted to be actuated by contact with astationary 'plate or member 'I6 secured to the cabinet upper plate I.The numeral I1 also designates a switch means, adapted through suitablecircuit connections to connect the pickup to the amplifying devices ofthe radio phonograph unit. vThe switch'means I'l is preferably securedto the cabinet upper plate I and is provided with a switch-operatingmember I8 which may be of U-shape, adapted to slide vertically and to beactuated by a plate or member I9 secured to and moving with the shaft 5.

In operation of the tone arm and cabinet arrangement illustrated inFigs., 1 and 2, let it be assumed that the tone arm 2 is in the playingposition as shown in Fig. 2 and that it is desired to move the tone armto the inoperative or nonplaying position shown in Fig. 1. To effectthis change the arm 2 is swung clockwise, for example, from its playingposition over the turntable II until the arm is over the groove orchannel 1. It

will be understood that the groove l isformed in the cabinet upper plateI preferably closely adjacent to the portion thereof covered bytherecord I0. The groove 'l may, however, be located in any desiredsuitable portion of the cabinet plate. The groove may, for example, inits lengthwise direction lie at right angles to the line of theturntable center and shaft 5.

Whenthe armA 2 has been swung until it is in alignment with the groovel, the arm is then pushed down by pressure applied at its pivot end,thereby causing the shaft 5 to be released at slot I3 from lock ring 8and to slide downwardly until locked by the engagement of upper slot 9with the lock ring. The tone arm is formed with a preferably flat uppersurface and is so dimensioned and so mounted on shaft 5 that whenpressed down into locked position within groove 1 the upper surface ofthe arm is fiush with the upper surface of cabinet upper plate I.

In the process of swinging the arm I toward its non-playing position theactuating member I of motor switch means I4 is engaged by the stationarymember I6 and is operated to open switch I4 and disconnect the turntablemotor. Likewise, in the process of pressing shaft 5, carrying arm 2,downwardly to bring the arm into its non-playing position in groove 1,the lower end of actuating member I8 of amplifler switch I1 is engagedby the member I9, carried by shaft 5, and is moved downward to openswitch I1 thereby to disconnect the pickup 3 from the amplifierapparatus.

Assuming next that it is desired to move the tone arm 2 back into itsplaying position, the arm 2 may be raised out of the groove 1 byapplying lifting force at the pivoted end of the arm thereby to free theshaft from engagement with ring 8 at 'groove 9 and thereafter to slidethe shaft upwardly until it is locked inits upper position by ring 4 andgroove I3. It is preferable, however, first to lift the arm 2 at itspickup end. By lifting in this way the arm is first swung in thevertical plane about its pivoted connection with shaft 5. The right-handend of the arm isl thereby caused to abut against the bottom of groove1, and a leverage is applied at the pivoted connection to force theshaft 5 upwardly out of locking engagement with ring 8 at groove 9.After the shaft is thus freed, the arm may be raised the remainingvertical distance easily, until the shaft is again locked, by engagementof ring 8 therewith at groove I3.

After the arm has been raised to its appropriate height it is thenswung, counterclockwise in the ranged as to bias toggle member 23 towardeither direction of 'rotation about pins 29, depending upon the angularposition of the member 28. When the arm 20 is in its non-playing orretracted position, an extension plate 35 formed integral with or fixedto the arm 123 rests upon the cabinet plate 22,"preferably upon'arecessed portion 38 formed in the surface thereof.. The

extension plate 35 is flush with the upper surfacev comprises anactuating member 40 adapted tocooperate with a finger 4I carried by anarm 42, which is secured to and rotates with shaft 23.

. A second switch means 43, which also may be present instance, untilneedle 4 is in proper contact with record I2. 'During the swingingmovement of the arm to return to playing position the motor switch meansI4 is again operated by engagement of members I5 and I6 to energize theturntable motor, and during the raisingof shaft 5 to its upper positionthe amplifier switch I1 is operated, by engagement of member I9 with theupper end of. member I8, to connect the pickup 3 to the amplifierapparatus.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, as in the embodiment of my inventionillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a tone arm and cabinet arrangement isprovided wherein, in the non-playing position, a tone arm 20 lies withina groove or channelZI with the upper surface of the arm flush with theupper-)surface of the cabinet upper plate 22. In the embodiment of Figs.3 and 4, however, the means at the pivot end of the arm for changingfrom'playing to non-playing position comprises a toggle arrangement.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, a shaft 23 is journaled in abearing member 24 which may be mounted in a plate 25 secured to theunder surfaceof cabinet plate 22. A toggle base member 28 having twoupwardly extending ears or lugs 21, only one of. which is shown. issecured to the top of shaft 23, and a toggle member 28 preferably of Usection is pivoted at a point intermediate lits length to the lugs 21 bypins 29 only one of which is shown. The tone arm2II is journaled, at apoint near the end thereof opposite' thepickup (not shown in Figs. 3 and4) to the outer end 38 of the toggle member 28 by avpin 3i. A spring 32is provided secured at one end to a lug 33 on toggle base member 28and'at the other e'nd to a pin 3 4 or other means on the portion 30 oftoggle member 28. The spring 32 is so armounted on plate 25, is providedfor controlling' the connection. of the pickup to the amplifyingapparatus. 'I'his second switch means comprises a slidable actuatingmember 44 biased by a spring 45 and provided with an offset 48 adaptedto cooperate with an arm 41 secured to anda rotating, about pins 29,with the toggle member 28.

In operation of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 3and 4, the tone arm 28 being in its non-playing position shown in Fig.3, within the groove or channel 2| formed in cabinet upper plate 22 .andwith the upper surface of the tone arm flush with the upper surface ofthe cabinet plate, the toggle member 28 is in its retracted positionparallel with the surface of the plate 22, with pin 3i, on which thetone arm is pivoted, relatively close to the line of the lower surfaceof groove 2I and with spring 32 in position, with respect to the pivotpins 29 to maintain the toggle member 28 in its retractedr position.Switch means 39 is assumed to be in the position in which the turntablemotor has been disconnected from its power circuit. Switch means 43 isin its position in which the pickup is disconnected from the amplifyingapparatus, slidable actuating member 44 being in disconnecting positionagainst the tension of spring 45, with arm 41, attached to toggle member28, in contact with the offset 48 formed in member 44.

Assiuning now that the tone arm 20 is to be moved to its playingposition from the non-playing position, the operator raises the tone armout of its groove 2| -therebyswinging toggle member 28 counterclockwiseto an approximately upright position vertical with respect to the Plate2,2, as

shown in Fig. 4, the rotation of the toggle member being limi-ted by thestop means constituted lan; the toggle end 31' and the upper end ofshaft The arm 20 may be raised out of the groove 2| 'by applying liftingforce directly to the pivot end of the arm. Preferably, however, the armis -iirst lifted at-its pickup end. Since the extension plate v35 restsupon the recessed surface 36 of the cabinet plate, this lifting of thearm at the pickup end produces a leverage which ro tates the togglemember 28 against the tension of spring 32. After the rotation of member28 has progressed -to the point where the rotation is no longer opposedby .the spring 32, the toggle member 28 may then be easily rotated toits final upright position, the member 28 being held in this nalposition by the tension of spring 32.

As the toggle member 28 is raised to its upright posi-tion, arm 41 whichis secured to member 28 is rotated in counterclockwise direction topermit the slidable switch member 44 to be moved by spring 45 to connectthe pickup to the amplifying apparatus.` The tone arm being now at itssuitable maximum heightfit may be rotated on shaft 23 to its playing.position (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4) with the needle in contact withthe record, in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 2. When the tonearm is thus rotated toward playing position, the finger 4|, connectedthrough arm 42 to shaft 23, moves actuating member 40 to operate switchmeans 39 to energize the turntable motor.

Referring to Figs. and 6, in -this embodimentA cabinet upper plate 50and to the upper end of which the arm 48 is pivoted. In the non-playingposition -of the tone arm, referring particularly to Fig. 5, the shaft5| is held in its lower position against the tension of a spring 53mounted on the lower section 54 of the shaft and secured at iftsv upperand lower ends respectively to the sleeve 52 and to a plate or collar 55on the shaft. To hold the shaft in this position a catch or detent 56 isprovided adapted to cooperate with a slot 51 formed in the shaft, acorresponding slot 58 being formed in the sleeve 52 to permit the catch56 to engage the shaft slot 51. The catch 56 is biased toward the shaftby a spring 59 which bears against an upwardly extending ear or lug 68integral with or connected to the catch 56.

The catch 55 is arranged to be moved freely to and fro relatively to theshaft as by being formed integral with or mounted on a plate '6| whichmay extend rearwardly of the detent and may be pivoted by a screw 62 orother means to the cabinet upper plate 50. On the pivot end of th'e tonearm 48 a releasing means comprising a, lug

lor cam 63 is provided which is adapted to engage 4 the detent 56 withthe slot 51 formed in the shaft. If it is now desired to move the tonearm 48 to its playing position from the nonplaying position, theoperatorraises the pickup end of the Varm out of the groove 49 thereby to rotatethe arm in the vertical plane a slight amount about the upper end ofshaft 5|. The lug or cam member 63 of the tone arm, therefore, engagesthe lug 60 of catch 56 to move the catch 56 out of engagement with theshaft slot 51.

The shaft being thus disengaged from the catch 56, the tone arm 48 isthereupon snapped upwardly out of the slot 51 by the spring 53 and maythen be swung on shaft 5| to its playing position.

If desired, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, switch meansmay be included for the control of the turntable motor and for-theconnection of the pickup to the amplifying apparatus. This switch meansmay, for example, be-of the same construction as described in connectionwith the embodiment shown in Figs. l and 2 and may cooperate with shaft5| in the same manner that the switch means of Figs. 1 and2-cooperates`with the shaft 5 of the latter figures. l

My invention has been described herein in particular embodiments forpurposes of illustration. Itis to be understood, however, that theinvention is susceptible of various changes and further modificati-onsand that by the appended claims I intend to cover any such modificationsas fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention, l

What Iv claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm comprising al pickup portion atone end thereof, the upper surface of said arm and said pickup portionbeing fiat, a, casing having a fiat upper surface and having a groovetherein to receive said tone arm of the same shape andsize as said uppersurface of said tone arm and pick-up portion, supporting means for saidtone arm comprising a vertical shaft journaled in said casing zontalplane and in pivotal relation with said tone varm at the end thereofopposite said pickup portion for swinging movement of said arm in thevertical plane, and means -operatively associated with said shaftadapted for maintaining said tone arm in operative position outside saidgroove and for locking said tone arm in non-operative position withinsaid groove with said upper surface of said tone arm and pickup portionin alignment With said upper surface of said casing.

2. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm having a pickupl portion at oneend thereof, the upper surface of said arm and said pickup portion beingflat, a casing having a fiat upper surface and having a groove formedtherein conforming to said upper surface of said tone arm and pickupportion, supporting means for said tone arm comprising a vertical shaftjournaled in said casing for swinging movement of said arm in-j thehorizontal plane and in' pivotal relation with said tone arm at the endthereof opposite said pickup portion for swinging movement of said armin the vertical plane and means operatively associated with said shaftadapted for locking said tone arm in non-operative position within saidgroove and with said upper surface of said tone arm and pickup portionsubstantially level with said upper surface of said casing.

3. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm having a pickup device, acasing having a groove therein, supporting means for said tone arm, saidarm being pivoted to said supporting means at the end of saidarmopposite said pickup for rotational movement of said arm in thevertical plane, said supporting means being journaled in said casing forswingingI movement of said arm in the horizontal plane, said supportingmeans comprising a member adapted to be raised to an upper position withreference to said casing thereby to maintain said arm above the level ofsaid groove and to be lowered to a lower position with reference to saidcasing thereby to maintain said arm within said groove, and switch meansoperatively associated with said member of said supporting meansandoperative during movement of said member from one of said positions tothe other thereof for controlling said pickup device. l i

4. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm, a casing having a groovetherein to receive said tone arm,.a vertical shaft journaled in saidcasing for rotational and vertical movement of said shaft, meanspivoting said tone arm to said shaft at the upper endv thereof forrotational movement of said arm in the vertical plane, resilient meansoperatively associated with said shaft for locking said shaft in upperposition whereby said tone arm may be rotated to operative position andfor locking said shaft in lower position whereby said tone arm may bemaintained in non-operative position within said groove.

` 5. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm carrying a pickup at one endthereof, a casing, a vertical shaft journaled in said casing for ro=tational and vertical movement of said shaft, means pivoting said tonearm to said shaft for rotational movement of said arm in the verticalplane, and resilient means locking said shaft in lower poistion wherebysaid tone arm may be maintained in non-operative position, said tone armhaving a portion extending beyond said pivot means at the end of saidarm opposite said pickup end, said portion being adapted to abut againstsaid casing when said tone arm is rotated in said,

having a pickup device and pivoted to said shaft,

said casing having a groove therein to receive said tone arm, meanscomprising a resilient member adapted to cooperate with upper and lowergrooved portions respectively of said shaft for locking said. shaft inupper position whereby said tone arm may be rotated to operativeposition and for locking said shaft in lower position whereby said tonearm may be maintained in nonoperative position within-said groove, andswitch means operatively associated with said shaft and adapted to beoperated during vertical movement of said shaft for controlling saidpickup device.

7. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm, a casing having a groovetherein to receive said tone arm,'a vertical shaft journaled in saidcasing, a toggle member journaled to said shaft at a point of saidmember intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to be moved topositions respectively parallel and vertical with respect to the surfaceof said casing, means pivoting said tone arm to said toggle member at apoint thereof adjacent one of .said ends, and means comprising aspring'connected at one end thereof to said shaft and at the other endconnected to said toggle member at a point thereof between saidintermediate point and said one of the ends thereof adapted for lockingsaid toggle member in said vertical position whereby said tone arm maybe rotated to operative position andl for locking said toggle member insaid parallel position whereby said tone arm may be maintained innon-operative position within said groove.

8. In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm cary.

rying a pickup at one end thereof, a casing, a vertical shaft journaledin said casing, a toggle member journaled to said shaft at a point ofsaid member intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to be moved topositions respectively parallel and vertical with respect to the surfaceof said casing, means pivoting said tone arm to said toggle member at apoint thereof adjacent one of said ends for rotational movement of saidarm about said pivoting means in thevertical plane, and means comprisinga spring connected at one end thereof to said shaft and at the other endto said toggle member at a point, thereof between said intermediatepoint and said one of the ends thereof adapted for locking said togglemember in said parallel position whereby said tone arm may be maintainedin non-operative position, said tonearm having a portion extendingbeyond said pivot means at the end ofsaid arm opposite said pickup endto abut against said casing when said arm is rotated about said pivotmeans in said vertical lplane whereby when said armF is lifted at itspickup end from said non-operative position a leverage is applied tosaid toggle member to rotate said member toward said vertical positionthereof.

9. In a phonograph apparatus, a casing, a vertical shaft journaled insaid casing, a toggle member journaled to said'shaft at a point of saidmember intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to be moved topositions respectively parallel and vertical with respect to the surfaceof said casing, a tone arm having a pickup device and pivoted to saidtoggle member at a point thereof adjacent one of said ends, meanscomprising a spring connected at one end thereof to said shaft .and atthe other end connected to said toggle tive position within saidgroove,4 and switch means operatively associated with said toggle memberand adapted .to be operated during movement of said toggle memberfrom-one of its positions to the other for controlling said pickup 10.In a phonograph apparatus, a tone arm having a pickup at one endthereof, a casing having a groove therein to receive said tone arm,

a vertical shaft joumaled in said casing for rotational and verticalmovement of said shaft, means pivoting said tone arm at the end thereofopposite said pickup to said shaft at the upper tive position.

end thereof for swinging movement of said tone arm about said shaftupper end in the vertical plane, resilient means connected with saidshaft and said casing normally maintaining said shaft in a predeterminedupper position with reference to said casing, means comprising a memberconnected with said casing andA adapted to engage said shaft for lockingsaid shaft in its EDWARD W. FORS'I'ROM.

